Whatever happened to happy endings?
by Isa-BELLA Swan91
Summary: Sequel to Once upon a time. Set four years after the epilogue, Edward's and Bella's marriage is in trouble, but when an old enemy returns and threatens Bella's life, will the couple remember what brought them together to begin with?
1. Where we are now

**AN: So here's the first chapter of 'Whatever happened to happy endings?' **

**I'd like to thank everyone who supported me while I was writing OUAT and who encouraged me to write its sequel.**

**This chapter is dedicated to ****WeepingWillow1494****, whose review inspired me to write this and to Drish, who never fails to support and encourage me in everything I do.**

**Disclaimer: Ha-ha oh how I wished I could say I owned EDWARD CULLEN! Sadly, I do not; he belongs to both Bella and Stephenie Meyer. **

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**Four years later…**

_Eleven years ago, my faith in fairy tales was restored when I met my Knight in shining armour, Edward Cullen. I truly believed that Edward's and my love was one that would last an eternity; these days however, I'm not so sure…_

"Mummy!" an insistent voice shrieked, waking me from my reverie. Staring down at the big brown orbs of my little daughter, my heart filled with love and I once more allowed myself to daydream, this time about the day I gave birth.

**Two years and three months ago… **

"_I __**HATE**__ you Edward!" I screamed as another contraction hit me. _

"_This is all __**your**__ fault!" _

"_I'm sorry love." Edward said stroking my hand, the hand that was currently crushing his other one. Today he was extra pale and looked quite tired. I almost felt sorry for yelling at him, but then another contraction hit. I screamed._

"_Ok Bella, you're doing great. One more push and she'll be out." Doctor Reynolds said softly. With all the strength I had left, I pushed… suddenly a cry filled the room. Exhausted I fell back on the pillow and closed my eyes._

"_Would you like to hold your daughter?" a voice asked._

"_Yes, I said my eyes snapping open. She was placed on my chest and I was finally able to look at the little girl that had been creating havoc in my womb for the past 9 months. As I looked into her beautiful brown eyes, my heart suddenly swelled and in that moment I understood what everyone meant when they said a mother's love was a powerful thing. _

"Mummy!"

"Sorry Baby." I said smiling down at my little Alyssa; she stood in front of me, her little hands on her hips and her mouth pouted.

"You not listen!" she scolded me.

"I am sorry little one." I said, stroking her hair, so like her fathers. Sighing, I blinked back my tears. For the past year, Edward and I had been having issues. It started small, Edward being the newest Resident as South Central Hospital, a job Edward and I had left our family behind to move to Seattle for, had been working long hours. I too had been preoccupied with caring for Lissy and starting my job as a teacher for first graders at the local elementary school. Soon though, the fact that we hardly saw one another meant that we slowly became strangers to each other. What little time we did spend together, we spent fighting. Once we had been so in love, now however, I feared what came next, for the only thing I saw in our future was divorce…

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**AN: Please review and let me know if you want me to continue!**


	2. Dr Daddy

**AN: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter, I was overwhelmed by the response. **

**Drish; thanks for your help with this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Wish I owned more than Alyssa and the storyline *cough*Edward*cough***

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**Edward's POV**

"Hello, Dr. Cullen." A voice breathed against the back of my neck. I groaned inwardly.

"Hello Tanya." I said, turning around to face the blonde nurse.

"How are you today Doctor?" she asked, pushing herself up against my side. I quickly took a step back.

"I'm fine, and how are you?" I asked, moving further away.

"Oh I'm very good." She purred, stepping closer and pressing her rather large chest against my arm. I felt myself flush furiously.

"I-I'm glad." I stuttered out.

"I uh… patient… now... sorry." I said, gesturing toward the doorway of the break room. Turning as fast as I could I took off down the hall.

"See you later Dr. Cullen!" A voice called behind me. _Oh, I had no doubt I would… _

Since Tanya had started working at South Central three months earlier, there was rarely a moment when she didn't seem to be near me. She had never made her advances toward me secret and as time grew passed I found it harder to resist her. It wasn't that I was particularly attracted to Tanya, not that she wasn't beautiful, it was more because I found her attention flattering. It had been such a long time since Bella and I had… well you know… My heart clenched at the thought of Bella. I knew our marital problems were a major fault of my own, I had just gotten so busy with work and everything else began to slip away from me. It wasn't until months later that I realised how bad everything had become…

_I sighed, as I turned off the engine, thankful to be home after such a long day. I glanced at my watch 9.45 pm, Alyssa would already be in bed. Sighing again, I dragged myself from my car and toward the garage door. Another night when I had missed my little girl before she went to bed._

_A light was on in the kitchen, odd, Bella was usually asleep by now. I walked in to find Bella sitting at the kitchen table, dipping a teabag into her mug. I stood frozen in the doorway, it had been awhile since Bella and I had an actual conversation. _

"_Alyssa called Daniel Daddy today." She said quietly, not looking at me. _

"_What?" I asked stupidly. She stood._

"_I said that your own daughter called another man Daddy today because she doesn't remember you," she said evenly. Suddenly I was angry. _

"_Excuse me for trying to support this family!" I snapped at her. _

"_Support this family." She spat. "It's no longer about supporting your family Edward. It's like you'd rather be married to your job then me. Just once I would like to see you home before 10 o'clock, to read your daughter her favourite bedtime story, but I'm sure you wouldn't even know what it is!" knowing what she said was true I changed my argument. _

"_What was Daniel even doing here, around __**my**__ daughter?" _

"_Because he is my friend and sometimes Edward I need someone to talk to as you are never home!"_

"_Well I don't want him near my daughter!" I yelled._

"_When you can tell me what her favourite bedtime story is, then you can start making demands about who she spends her time with!" furious now, I stormed out of the kitchen before I said something I would regret. _

I glanced at the clock on the dash of my car, 11.00 pm, too late for Alyssa once more. I climbed the stairs to her room. Quietly opening the door to her room, I glanced in and saw my beautiful daughter sprawled upside down on her bed, her favourite teddy Bob next to her. Smiling, I walked across to her and gently picked her up and placed her the right way up in her bed, then I started to reach for Bob,

"Daddy?"

"Hey baby." I whispered, kissing her on the head.

"You home." She said smiling widely, and I suddenly felt a pang in my chest.

"Yes I'm home. Go back to sleep baby." I said, handing her Bob.

"Night baby, night Bob." I said, kissing her one more time and turning to leave.

"Not Bob." She called after me. "Dr. Daddy." Another pang, I forced a smile.

"Goodnight Baby, goodnight Dr. Daddy, I love you." I told her and headed for the door.

"Love you Daddy." She mumbled already on the verge of sleep.

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AN: Sorry this chapter wasn't very long guys, it's really just the intro into Edward's feelings. Please review!


	3. And so it begins

**AN: Thank you to everyone who has continued to support me through this story!**

**Drishti – Thank you once more for reading this over for spelling mistakes, and continuing to support me!**

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"_Oomph." I flew back and landed on my backside._

"_I am so sorry." I said leaning over to pick up my belongings that had fallen from my bag. Another hand leaned over to help and I looked up into the face of a god. There was no other way to describe It, he was perfect. He had messy bronze coloured hair and beautiful green eyes. He smiled at me and I felt my heart catch in my throat._

"_Are you ok? That was a pretty hard collision." He asked._

"_I uh…" I said completely __mesmerised__ by his face. I cleared my throat._

"_Yes, thank you I'm fine. I'm sorry I ran into you. I should have been watching where I was going." I said, nervously looking down and stuffing the rest of my belongings in my bag._

"_It's ok. Here you forgot this." He said handing me my Biology textbook. As I reached for it, my fingers accidentally grazed his and I nearly dropped the book, when I felt a somewhat electric feeling. I gasped._

"_What's wrong?" he asked._

"_No-nothing." I said._

"_I'm Edward Cullen by the way." He said._

"_Isabella Swan, Bella preferably." He smiled._

"_Bella, that's a really pretty name." I blushed. _

I was awoke to the sound of my alarm. It had been a long time since I had dreamt of Edward. Was my subconscious trying to tell me something? Was I wrong to consider Daniel's offer? Sighing, I closed my eyes and thought of the conversation Daniel and I had the night before.

"_You're not happy here Bella, why do you stay?" Daniel asked from behind me. He was setting the table, as I brought the lasagna from the oven. I sighed; this was not a new conversation. Since I met Daniel, a new teacher at my school, five months earlier, he'd frequently ask me to leave Edward and marry him. _

"_I can't just leave Daniel, it isn't that easy." I said._

"_Why isn't it? Just tell the bastard you're leaving and move in with me." _

"_What about Alyssa? She'd be heartbroken."_

"_She'd still be able to see him, not that she sees him now anyway. Bella we both know that I'd be a better father to her than he's ever been." I heard him approach and reach a hand up to my shoulder. _

"_Leave him Bella, for you and Alyssa." He said, placing a hand on my cheek. Then suddenly he started to move his face closer to mine. Startled, I pulled away from him. This was new grounds, while Daniel had been trying to get me to leave Edward for a while; he had never once tried anything with me. _

"_I'm sorry." He said. Looking like a hurt puppy._

"_I am too, but I can't Daniel. It wouldn't be fair to Edward."_

_I don't get it Bella, how can you still love him!" he demanded, slamming his hand onto the counter. _

"_Be quiet, you'll upset Alyssa!" _

"_Maybe it's best I leave, but think about my offer Bella." He said before turning to leave. Blinking back tears, I leant against the counter. Edward and I had barely spoken a word to each other, that wasn't concerning Alyssa in over a year, was Daniel right, did I still love him?_

Lying in bed the next morning, still haunted by the memory of the first time I had met Edward, I knew that the answer was yes. As much as I hated to admit it, I did still love him, he had been my saviour, my prince.

**-xXx-**

After arriving home that evening, I headed out to the letterbox, having noticed it was full earlier. _Bill, bill, Edward's, Edward's, bill._ Odd, the last one didn't have an address merely my name stuck to it with magazine cut outs. Curious now, I quickly ripped open the back of the letter, inside was a single piece of paper, I unfolded it and fell back against the letterbox for support. The message was enough to make any mothers blood run cold.

**What a pretty little girl, too bad she won't make it to her next birthday.**

Underneath that was a picture of Alyssa, with a gun target on her face.

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AN: Please review, I love hearing what you're thinking of the story so far!


	4. Does she always talk in her sleep?

**Bella's POV**

Fear gripped my heart as I stared down at the photo of my baby, a target over her innocent face. My head was over flowing with thoughts, what was I suppose to do? Was this a real threat?

I did know one thing however; despite our martial problems, I had to tell Edward. I reached for the phone sitting in front of my at the kitchen table, feeling almost mechanical, I dialled the number of the hospital. The tears I had felt threatening to fall began to slowly seep from my eyes as I waited for Edward to come to the phone after a woman had answered.

**Edward's POV**

Why would Bella be calling? We rarely spoke face to face, so why would she be calling me at work? I walked a little faster as the possibilities zipped through my head. Just as I had nearly driven myself, mad with worry I reached the nurse's station where the phone laid waiting.

"What's wrong?" I asked quickly.

"You need to come home." Was her response. Confusion flooded through me.

"I can't just leave Bella."

"Yes you can Edward, you were suppose to have finished work over two hours ago." She said, as I suddenly became aware of the emotion in her voice. We may not have spoken much in the past year, but there had been a time when Bella was my world, I knew the emotion I heard in her voice was fear.

"Bella please tell me what's wrong." I demanded softly.

"This isn't a conversation we should have over the phone."

"I can't just leave, I have paitients-"

"Edward Cullen if you aren't home within the hour don't bother coming home at all." She paused. "If you won't come for me, will you at least come for your daughter?" I suddenly felt like kicking myself, Bella was scared and here I was too concerned over other people when my own wife needed me.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." I promised and hung up the phone.

**Bella's POV**

I had been horrible to him. I sunk back down into the chair, overwhelmed with emotion; I placed my head in my hands, tears flowing down my face. My thoughts were filled with the face of the little girl who lay sleeping upstairs, blissfully unaware that her life was in danger. I was brought back from my reverie by the sound of a ringing phone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Are you scared Bella?" A voice I did not recognise asked.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"She looks so angelic when she sleeps, tell me does she always talk in her sleep?" fear gripped me, there was someone upstairs with my little girl.

"Don't hurt her please!" I begged, as I raced for the stairs.

"Are you scared now Bella?" the voice asked once more.

"Please!" I begged. The line went dead. Dropping the phone, I hurled myself up the remaining stairs and into Alyssa's bedroom. I froze in the doorway, Alyssa lay curled in a ball, still sound asleep. No body else was in the room, but someone had been, for her window was now wide open, when I knew it had been closed only an hour earlier when I had put her to bed. I raced over to the window and slammed it shut.

"Mummy?" I spun around to find Alyssa sitting up staring at me sleepily. I went over to her and knelt beside the bed.

"You crying." She stated, reaching over to wipe the tears from my cheek. I gathered her into my arms and held her tightly to my chest.

"Bella?" Edward's voice called from below.

"In Alyssa's room." I called down to him.

**Edward's POV**

Her voice shook with emotion, something was seriously wrong. I raced quickly up the stairs.

"What's wrong, I got here as quickly as I could." I said as I entered Alyssa's room. Bella was knelt at the head of Alyssa's bed, Alyssa in her arms. Bella glanced up at me; I noted that she was crying.

"Bella?" I asked, as I gently knelt beside her. "What's wrong?" her crying became hysterical then and I reached for her, pulling both her and Alyssa in to my arms. I made soothing noises as I rocked her back and forth. "Bella, please tell me what's wrong?" I asked again, Alyssa glancing curiously at the both of us. Slowly, Bella calmed.

"Come down to the kitchen and I will show you," she said, pulling away from me. I followed behind as she carried Alyssa down to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, she handed Alyssa a doll that had been sitting on the counter, and placed her at her feet.

"I got this in the mail today." She said and gestured toward a picture on the table. My heart caught in my throat as I stared at the photo, it was of Alyssa, and there was a gun target over her face.

"There was note too."

**What a pretty little girl, too bad she won't make it to her next birthday.**

My blood chilled.

"There's more. I got a phone call not long after I called you." I fell down in to a chair as Bella told me what had happened.

"Who would do this?" I asked.

"I don't know. I'm so scared Edward." I glanced up at her and my mind flashed to a moment that felt like a lifetime ago,

_Bella stood in the doorway in nothing but a towel. After I had gotten over that fact, I noticed her face was severely bruised._

"_Bella, what happened?" I asked._

"_No-nothing, I ran into my door." she spoke nervously._

"_Bella those bruises are not from running into a door."_

"_Why are you here?" she asked._

"_Um, well you haven't been at school and, hey don't change the subject. What happened Bella." She sighed._

"_Nothing."_

"_Bella please talk to me." I begged._

"_It's none of your business Edward. Please leave." She said turning away from me._

"_No." she slowly turned back around._

"_Why?"_

"_Because Bella, I care about you and I don't want to see you hurt."_

"_You barely know me." She said softly._

"_I know that, but Bella I do care about you." For a moment, we stared at each other. Then we could hear footsteps on the stairs._

"_Victoria. Edward you have to get out of here." Bella panicked and came over to me._

"_Victoria's the one doing this to you?" I asked her._

"_Edward you have to go." She pleaded._

"_Ok, but I'll be back tonight."_

"_Fine, just go." I nodded and quickly crawled out the window._

Looking at her now, her face held the same expression it had, all those years ago, absolute terror.

**Third person's POV**

The figure smirked to themself, as they sat in the rental car, staring into the window of the house across the road. Inside Bella and Edward sat at the kitchen table, expressions of fear on their faces. The smirk became a full-blown smile as the figure started the car, _Ahh_, they thought to themself, _life was good_.

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Author's note – Sorry for the wait guys, I've been busy. Please review and let me know what you are thinking of the story so far, I love hearing your opinions!


	5. Realisations and Mismatched clothing

**AN: I just want to say that I am overwhelmed by the response to this story, I love coming home to an inbox full of such amazing reviews!**

**However, I would like to say, I know that sometimes it might take me a ridiculously long time to update and I truly am sorry but getting reviews saying something must be wrong with me because I don't update every night is really quite rude and hurtful. I am sorry guys but I have other commitments, like trying to keep up with assignments during my last year of school. **

**Sorry for the downer, here's chapter 5.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the storyline and Alyssa.**

**Dedicated to Dri, without you I would probably have torn all of my hair out by now.**

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**Bella's POV**

"_Are you scared Bella?"_

"_She looks so angelic when she sleeps, tell me does she always talk in her sleep?_

"_What a pretty little girl, too bad she won't make it to her next birthday._

Gasping I awoke from my nightmare. _Alyssa_. Edward and I had put her in bed with us last night, but now she was gone. I jumped from the bed.

"Alyssa!" I screamed an icy hand gripped my heart.

"We're downstairs Bella." Edward's calm voice called to me. What was Edward doing home? I quickly raced downstairs where I found Edward and Alyssa playing with her dolls.

"What?" I sputtered. "What are you doing home?"

"You actually thought I would go to work?" he asked, his tone hurt.

**Edward's POV**

Instead of answering, she cast her eyes downward.

"You did." Had it really gotten that bad that Bella would lose faith that I would be there for her?

"Bella." I whispered, standing up to move toward her.

"Have you really lost so much faith in me that you didn't think I'd be here?" I asked, lightly gripping her shoulders.

"I don't want to lie to you Edward, but I don't want to hurt you either." She whispered.

"I'd better get dressed." She pulled away and headed toward the stairs. I knew our relationship had been suffering, but I had never realised just how bad it was. _Oh my Bella, _was it possible that I was going to lose her soon?

"_Listen Bella, I need you to tell me what's going on so that I can help you." He said coming over to sit next to her._

"_Nothing's going on Edward; I walked in the door that's it." Bella shrugged._

"_So we're back to this are we." I sighed._

"_Bella is someone hurting you? Is Victoria hurting you?" I asked and gently grabbed her hands. She turned to stare out the window._

"_Bella look at me please." I begged. She slowly returned her gaze._

"_I want to help you. Please tell me what happened to you." She started sobbing. _

"_It's ok I'm here. I won't let anything hurt you." I said pulling her to me. ._

"_How can you promise me that Edward?"_

Once I had promised her I would never let anything hurt her, now though, I was the one making her hurt.

**Bella's POV**

"So then what's the plan?" I asked, coming down the stairs 20 minutes later.

"We need to go to the p-o-l-i-c-e." He spelt out the last words for Alyssa benefit.

"There's no use hiding it from her Edward, she wouldn't understand what's happening anyway." I sighed, sitting on the couch.

"Do we even understand it?" He said standing up.

"Uh Edward… What is she wearing?"

"I tried dressing her." He grinned sheepishly. He had dressed her in a red shirt that looked too small, orange and green flared pants, pink socks and black Mary Janes.

"It was a nice effort." I smiled brightly at him, it had been a long time since I had seen that expression, and I had missed it. Blinking back tears, I stood from the couch and reached down for Alyssa.

"I'll just change her, and then we'll go ok?" I asked, already heading for the stairs.

"Should I come with you, you know learn from the master?" His grin cheeky this time as he swept his arm up and down to indicate his choice of attire for Alyssa.

"That's probably a good idea; your first lesson will be how to match clothes! Honestly I don't know how you managed to dress yourself all these years." I laughed.

"You know maybe it's my bad taste in clothes that has kept me from getting a promotion? My boss is always wearing clothes that match." He said scratching his head, I threw back my head and laughed and for a moment forgot that our lives were in danger, but mostly I forgot that Edward didn't love me anymore.

**-xXx-**

Half an hour later Edward pulled into a car park outside the police station. In my hands, I clutched the letter and picture of Alyssa tightly.

"You ready?" Edward asked, coming around to my door, Alyssa in his hands. I closed my eyes and inhaled.

"I'm ready." I said and got out the car.

**-xXx-**

We questioned by a Sergeant Mullins, he was an older man of about 45, he looked to be about 6 ft, with light brown greying hair and a friendly manner. As I sat across from him, Edward holding Alyssa next to me, I was reminded of another time in my life when I had to give a statement to the police,

_Two police officers sat on one couch, one male the other female. Esme sat across from them. When I entered, she went to stand as if to come towards us, then thought better and stayed where she was._

"_Hello Bella, I'm Officer Banks and this is Officer Dillion." The male officer said, gesturing between himself and the female officer. Carlisle led me to the armchair next to Esme and gestured at me to sit down, so I did._

"_Now Bella, Esme has already filled us in on the situation, but we have a few questions for you. Is that ok?" Officer Dillion asked me. __Well I had already given Victoria enough reason to kill me, why not finish the job probably. __I nodded._

"_Has your stepmother ever hurt you Bella?" Officer Banks asked me._

"_Yes." I breathed._

"_How often?" Officer Dillion asked._

"_Pretty much everyday." I whispered again, I felt Carlisle reach out and squeeze my hand gently._

"Mrs Cullen?" Sergeant Mullin's voice broke into my daydream and I suddenly became aware that he had asked me a question.

"Sorry, I missed that?" I said blushing.

"Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt your daughter?" he repeated. I started to say no when suddenly my memory flashed in my mind again and I realised that there was someone.

"Yes." I breathed; the sudden realisation had left me feeling numb.

"And who would that be?" Sergeant Mullins prompted. I looked at Edward, who seemed confused, then back at Sergeant Mullins.

"My stepmother, because of me she spent 10 years in prison. She was due to be released earlier this year." I glanced back over at Edward; he was looking at me with horror-filled eyes. Was there a chance it was Victoria?

**-xXx-**

"_Bella I'd like you to meet Victoria, my lady friend." Charlie said beaming at the beautiful redhead next to him. _

"_You worthless brat can you do anything right?!" Victoria screamed, the glass I had accidently broken, lay on the floor between us._

'_Too bad she won't make it to her next birthday.'_

I awoke from my nightmare with a start, I reached out in the darkness and felt for Alyssa and Edward, they were both there sleeping soundly. Satisfied my family were safe, I lay back down, suddenly though I became aware of the smell of smoke. Panicked I jumped from the bed and dashed into the hall, the back end of the house was on fire and it was quickly heading towards us.

"Edward." I screamed running back into the room. He sat up quickly.

"Bella what's wro-"he started.

"The house is on fire." I said quickly cutting him off. Grabbing a now awake Alyssa, he jumped from the bed, grabbed my hand and ran we ran for the door.

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**AN: Chapter 5!! So what are your thoughts? Please review, I'd love to know!**


	6. Are second chances possible?

**AN: I am SORRY for not updating lately, but I have had other things on my mind like the fact that my mum has been sick and needed my help as she couldn't get out of bed. I've also been suffering from writer's block due to issues in my life at the moment. Enough excuses sorry. **

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_I awoke from my nightmare with a start, I reached out in the darkness and felt for Alyssa and Edward, they were both there sleeping soundly. Satisfied my family were safe, I lay back down, suddenly though I became aware of the smell of smoke. Panicked I jumped from the bed and dashed into the hall, the back end of the house was on fire and it was quickly heading towards us._

"_Edward." I screamed running back into the room. He sat up quickly._

"_Bella what's wro-"he started._

"_The house is on fire." I said quickly cutting him off. Grabbing a now awake Alyssa, he jumped from the bed, grabbed my hand and we ran for the door._

Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the hot water of the shower. I had been standing in the shower for almost 20 minutes now, reliving the nightmare of the night before, so grateful that my family had been unharmed. When we had gotten downstairs we had run into one of the officers who had been patrolling our street for any signs of danger, they'd already called for the fire department so all we could do was stand out on the street and watch our home burn. When the fire had been put out there had been too much damage for us to stay there so we had found a room at a motel nearby, we were going back to the house this morning to salvage what we could.

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The top floor of the house had been destroyed, and there was a decent amount of damage to the first floor.

"What are we going to do? We're homeless" I said, trying desperately to blink back tears.

"We're not safe here Bella, we need to be around family." Edward said pulling me to him.

"What go back to Forks?" I asked shocked, the thought had never even occurred to me.

"It'll be safer for us there."

"Won't we just be putting everyone else in danger as well?" I asked.

"They'd want to be there for us, you know that Bella." He was right, I did know that, and while I was concerned our return to Forks could put our family in danger, I was also afraid of seeing them again as I knew they would know immediately things between Edward and I weren't good. Staring into Edward's eyes and being in his arms at that moment, I suddenly began to wonder, could things work out between the two of us, did we have a second chance. Resting my head against Edward's chest mulling over my new realisation, I felt his arms tighten around me; it was then that hope really began to grow inside me and I knew I had to at least try to make it work.

"We should go."

"Mummy!" I felt a tug on my jeans, looking down I smiled at Alyssa, she had been sitting next to us chatting to Dr Daddy, her bear. Luckily, Alyssa had been holding him when we fled our burning house.

"Hey Baby." I said kneeling down nest to her. "Guess what we're going to visit Nanny and Grandpa for awhile." I said, brushing her away from her face. Her face lit up at the thought of Esme and Carlisle, while it had been over a year since we had visited Esme and Carlisle, they phoned every week and talked to Alyssa quite often via webcam, so I knew she excited to finally see them in person.

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After packing what had survived the fire, I dropped Edward at the hospital, so that he could organise leave from work and collect his belongings, while I headed to my school to do the same.

Carrying Alyssa into the reception area, Anita the elderly receptionist glanced up at me in surprise. I had taken the last two days off as sick leave, so I wasn't expected in.

"Bella, I thought you were out sick today dear?" she asked kindly.

"I am, but I need to see Barbara as soon as possible."

"I'll just see if she's in." standing up, she headed over to the office door behind her marked 'principal', she knocked and entered the room, only to return moments later to tell me to head straight in.

"Bella." Barbara Taylor and I had always been on friendly terms, she was a middle-aged red head, with a shocking sense of humour and a friendly but tough nature. "I didn't expect to see you here." She said, gesturing toward a chair in front of her.

"I've come to see if I can organise leave starting immediately." I said, sitting in the chair after placing Alyssa at my feet. She stared at me in shock.

"Are you ok Bella." She asked, taking in my red-rimmed eyes.

"No, not really." I confessed, before launching into my story.

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An hour later, I headed towards the reception desk on Edward's floor.

"I'm looking for Edward Cullen, I'm his wife." I told the young woman at the desk.

"I just saw him head that way." She said pointing in the direction of a corridor. Thanking her, I headed down the hallway wondering how I was suppose to locate Edward, when I heard his voice, following it, I walked out into a small courtyard, my eyes landed on Edward and I froze at the sight in front of me. Edward was leaning against the wall with a blonde woman standing in front of him, trailing her hands down the front of his shirt.

"I'll miss you, are you sure you have to leave. Why don't you just let her go and stay with me?" I heard her say before she leant forwards and kissed him. Pain flooded through me, quickly followed by a burning rage.

"So this is why your never home huh?" I spat, announcing my presence to the both of them. Startled they jumped apart.

"Bella." Edward choked out, while the blonde shot me a triumphant look. "This isn't what it looks like." He said, moving towards me.

"Really coz it looks to me like you're making out with a blonde slut!" I nearly yelled, my rage engulfing my senses and not allowing me to think about anything but the fact that Edward had been cheating on me.

"Bella please, lets not do this in front of Alyssa." he pleaded.

"How about we don't do this at all, expect divorce papers within the month. I hope you're happy with your strumpet Edward." I said, before turning around and walking back inside.

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AN: Again so sorry for the late update, please review!


	7. I want you!

"_How about we don't do this at all, expect divorce papers within the month. I hope you're happy with your strumpet Edward." I said, before turning around and walking back inside._

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**Edward's POV**

"Dr Cullen." A voice purred from behind me. _Tanya_. As I was preparing myself to face Tanya, I suddenly felt her hand gripped my ass. I jumped and spun around to face her.

"What are you doing?" I demanded furiously, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed.

"I've missed you." She said, her lips curving into a pout. Grabbing her hand, I pulled her out into an empty courtyard.

"I'm sorry Tanya but I can't do this anymore. I love my wife and I made a mistake."

"But I thought you enjoyed it." She whined.

"Enjoyed what? It was one kiss Tanya. It should never have happened."

"I don't believe!" she said, stamping her foot on the floor like a 2 year old.

"It doesn't matter what you believe Tanya, it's the truth. After today we wont see each other again, I'm moving back home with Bella and Alyssa." Shock registered on her face before she suddenly pushed back into the way, pouting her sexy lips she slowly began to run her hands up and down my chest.

"I'll miss you, are you sure you have to leave. Why don't you just let her go and stay with me?" she said before leaning into kiss me. Before the shock wore off and I was able to move away, a voice broke into the silence.

"So this is why your never home huh?" My mind was only able to register one thought. _No_.

"Bella." I choked out. _No. No. No. No. _Bella stood before me with Alyssa in her arms.

"This isn't what it looks like." I said, and then began to move toward her, the strong need to comfort her overwhelming me.

"Really coz it looks to me like you're making out with a blonde slut!" She nearly screamed.

"Bella please, let's not do this in front of Alyssa." I begged her.

"How about we don't do this at all, expect divorce papers within the month. I hope you're happy with your strumpet Edward." She said, before turning around and walking inside.

To shocked too move, I stood frozen, watching the door in which Bella had just left from.

"At least she knows about our love now Pet." Tanya said, kissing my neck.

"I don't love you Tanya and you're delusional to I think I ever could." I yelled pulling from her grasp and started toward the exit.

"Edward, wait, please." She begged, coming after me.

"I'm sorry Tanya." I said, before racing for the fastest way to reach Bella.

**Bella's POV**

I was buckling Alyssa into her car seat and trying desperately to keep back the tears that were threatening to fall, when I heard him calling.

"Bella." Turning around, I watched as Edward made his way towards me. He was panting slightly, as if he had just run a race and I suppose he had having caught up with me so fast.

"What do you want Edward?" I asked, closing the car door in the hopes of shielding Alyssa from what was about to be said.

"You Bella, I want you!" he said, reaching for my hand.

"Well you should have thought about that before you started sleeping with that strumpet." I said, ripping my hand from his grasp.

"I never had sex with Tanya, I swear. Besides what you just saw there was only ever one other kiss."

"Because that's suppose to make me feel better is it? What would happened if I hadn't interrupted Edward?!" I demanded.

"I would have pulled away, just like I did the last time and just like I was going to do just before you came in… Bella please, I swear to you nothing happened and nothing ever was going to happen." Ignoring him, I started towards the door on the driver's side of the car. He followed me,

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I dunno, guess I'll find out when I get there." I told him stiffly.

"What about going to Forks? Everyone's expecting us, are we just not going to show up?" he asked.

"You can still go."

"You're being silly Bella." I glared at him.

"Please Bella, give me one more chance?" he continued when I didn't answer. We haven't had much of a marriage in a long time, let us give it another go, and get to know each other again, remember why we love each other." He shrugged. "Maybe Forks is the place to do that. Don't give up on us Bella." I glanced at him, the look of determination on his face reminded me of the day the man in front of me had still been a boy, the day he had changed my life.

"_Don't be ridiculous Edward." He frowned._

"_I'm not, Bella it's not safe for you here. I won't leave you and if that means I have to move in here to look after you, well then so be it."_

"_Edward, you barely know me, why do you care?" I asked._

"_I don't know Bella, I just know that I can't let anything, __anyone __hurt you. Please Bella let me help you."_

I couldn't give up on us, just like Edward hadn't given up on me back then. If it hadn't been for his determination I probably never would have freed myself from Victoria. We deserved another chance and maybe Edward would be right, maybe in Forks we would rediscover our love for one another.

"Ok." I breathed. A look of sheer relief spread across his face.

"Thank you." He said, reaching out to squeeze my hand.

"We need to be together right now, for Alyssa and for us."

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AN: I'm not going to even insult you all with excuses as to why I haven't updated in a very long time. I am however going to apologies for being so lousy and hope that I actually have a few readers left :-(


	8. Coming home

**AN: I want to thank all of my readers for the continued encouragement throughout this story. I want to apologise for the major hiatus between chapters, Chapter 9 will be up tomorrow ****. Thank you again, I'm completing this story for you guys.**

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**Bella's POV**

"Bella." The sound of my name sunk into my subconscious rousing me. "Bella." The voice said again. Blinking away sleep, I took in my surroundings, I was inside our car. Edward, who was driving, was the one calling my name.

"Hey." He said as our eyes connected. My breath caught, and for a moment I was transported back in time.

_I lifted my head and my eyes connected with Edward's and the air whooshed out of me and I knew then why I was marrying Edward Cullen and I knew he wanted to marry me, if that beautiful crooked smile was anything to go by and I knew it was._

I blinked back tears, for the first time in what felt like forever, I was confronted with the amazing sight of Edward's heart stopping crooked smile.

"Look." He said gesturing toward the front window. Looking where Edward indicated, excitement and anticipation began to thrum through me, Edward had been pointing toward a sign, a sign that read;

**WELCOME TO FORKS!**

I sucked in a breath, my excitement building, we were finally here.

-xXx-

**Edward's POV**

I was nervous and worried as I drove up the long drive way to my parent's house. I was worried about Bella's and my relationship and I was worried because I knew my parents would be able to sense the cracks in our marriage and I didn't want them to worry.

I heard Bella suck in a breath beside me. "It's even more beautiful than I remembered." She said smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back at her, I hadn't realised how much I had missed her over the past couple of years...

I pulled to a stop outside the front door and had barely begun to get out of the car when the front door burst open and the smiling form of my brother, Emmett, came bounding towards me.

"EDWARD, BELLA!" He called as he swept me into an almost bone crushing hug. Bella came around the car with a now awake Alyssa. "Hello Emmett." She smiled. He beamed back at her and treated her and the confused Alyssa to the same hug.

"Alyssa this is your Uncle Emmett." Bella told Alyssa. As Emmett gathered my daughter in his arms, I felt a hand clasp my shoulder, turning around I found myself facing the grinning faces of my parents.

"Edward." Esme breathed before hugging me tightly, "It's been too long." She said into my ear. Shame filled me, I really should make an effort to visit my family more after all they'd done for me. Esme released me as my father, Carlisle, who had just finished hugging Bella, came over to hug me.

"It's good to see you Edward."

"You too."

**Bella's POV**

"This is a wonderful surprise." Esme told me hugging me close.

"I hope you don't mind, we really should have called." I said as she released me.

"That doesn't matter, what does it that you're all finally here." She said smiling warmly.

"Now let's get you unpacked." She said heading toward the house. The interior hadn't changed much in the two years since we had been here and I felt my eyes mist up as I was overwhelmed with memories of some of the happiest moments of my life that this house and this family represented.

**-xXx-**

"Now we can put Alyssa in the room we've set up for the children, there's a cot and bunk beds in there. I remember you mentioning Alyssa had started sleeping in a bed." Esme informed us as we headed along the upstairs hallway.

"Yes, she seems to enjoy her big girl bed over the cot and at least we don't have to worry about her hurting herself if she climbs out of the bed like she was doing with her cot." I said as we stopped in front of what I remembered as a guest room door. Esme swung it open and we were greeted with the sight of a children's paradise. Inside, two sets of bunk beds, one set pink, the other red, both the top and bottom bunks were filled with stuffed toys and dolls, lined up on the wall farthest away from us. On the other side was a cot; next to the cot was a change table and a large toy box filled to the brim with toys. Against the wall closet to us was a large doll house and in the middle of the floor was a blue chair and table set with a fake tea set on top of it. Next to it was a small racing car track, which had five or so cars lined up on it. The walls were painted a bright yellow and were decorated with stickers of cartoon characters and framed children's drawings.

"We like to have the children around as much as possible." Esme explained beaming. I felt a pang of regret that Edward and I hadn't been around to establish close relationships with our niece and nephews, Rose and Emmett's children, four year old Alexis and three year old Taylor, as well as Alice and Jasper's three year old son Brandon, so named in honour of Alice's birth parents.

Emmett put Alyssa down and she quickly swooped into the room to look at the dollhouse.

"Look Mummy!" she cried, pulling a Barbie doll out of the house and running to show me.

"That's wonderful Baby." I said, crouching down so she could show me the doll.

"Now why don't we get you two settled in Edward's old room, I'm sure you'll find it more comfortable than your own room since you spent so much time in there, right Bella?" Carlisle said smirking at me. Blushing, I chose to ignore his not so subtle remark about the amount of times both he and Esme had found me in Edward's bed instead of my own.

**Edward's POV**

I turned to grin at Bella after my father's jibe, she smiled at me hesitantly and suddenly I was reminded that Bella and I were no longer those love struck teenagers, but instead two adults with a marriage on the rocks.

Entering my room behind Bella and my parents I was swept back in time, though lacking the items I had taken with me to Seattle, the room still remained the same as when I was a teenager. There was the old black couch, where Bella and I would snuggle and make out for hours, the bed we had first made love in. The wall above the bed was covered in pictures of Bella and I through teenage hood to early adulthood.

"Those are clean sheets and there a towels in the bathroom cupboard. I'm sure you're tired from the drive down so we'll leave you two to freshen up. Take a nap if you want, dinner won't be ready until six. We'll watch Alyssa for you." Esme said, already leaving the room.

"It's weird... being back." Bella said when we were the only ones left in the room.

"Yeah." I agreed. There was an awkward silence.

"I'm going to take shower." She said, breaking the silence. As Bella left the room I headed over to sit on the bed. Reaching up I traced my fingers along a picture of Bella and I taken on the day of graduation, our arms were around each other and we both smiled happily for the camera. Next to it was my favourite photo taken of us. Alice had taken it about five months after Bella had moved in with us. We were sitting on a fallen branch in the snow, smiling and staring into each other's eyes, completely oblivious to anything but each other. I sighed and flopped back onto the bed to stare at the photo some more. Was it possible we could be that way again someday? I was afraid we couldn't remember how to love one another as we had then; we just weren't the same people anymore.


	9. You can run, but you can't hide

**Bella's POV**

"Well that was awkward." Edward said as we entered our room after dinner.

"Do you think we should have told them why we're here?" I asked rummaging through the small bag of clothing I had managed to save after the fire. Thank God I had two baskets full of clean laundry downstairs I hadn't put away the night of the fire, there was three days worth of clothing for each of us.

"Not yet. Tomorrow night when Alyssa is in bed."

"Do you think she followed us here?" I asked him quietly, unable to look at him as I said it. I saw his movement out of the corner of my eye as he approached me. He gently cupped my face with both hands and brought my face up so he could look into my eyes.

"The police will find her Bella, until then you and I will make it through this together." He spoke softly, but firmly as he assured me. Though he had stopped speaking, he continued to stare into my eyes, he moved his head slightly forward and I began to wonder, was he going to kiss me? Instead, he jerked his body away quickly, almost like I had hit him.

"Uh..." he cleared his throat. "I'll sleep on the couch." He declared, grabbing a pillow and the extra blanket off the bed.

"Um ok." I agreed a little hurt by his reaction. Heading towards the bathroom, I quickly changed and brushed my teeth.

When I returned, the light was off and the room was light only by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Making out Edward's form on the couch, I crawled under the covers and tried not to cry.

**-xXx-**

The next morning, after another awkward meal of Esme and Carlisle forcing cheerful conversation, and Edward and I sitting in awkward silence, I left Alyssa with Edward and climbed into the car and made my way to Alice and Jasper's.

Alice and Jasper lived in a stylish four bedroom house ten minutes drive from Carlisle and Esme's. Walking up the drive, I smiled to myself as I took in the array of colourful flowers that filled their front yard in perfect sort of chaos, only the most stylish, extravagant front yard for Alice.

I shook my head fondly at my sister in law's lavishness when the tune to "What a wonderful world", sung out from the doorbell, just from the exterior I could already tell this house was so Alice.

A very pregnant Alice answered the door. "Bella!" She screamed in excitement as her face flitted from shock into happiness. She hugged me awkwardly as her big belly got in the way.

"Getting slow in your old age Alice?" I teased. "You would have predicted it was me a few years ago." Hands on hips she exclaimed "I'll have you know it's these damn pregnancy hormones, they can't just effect me physically, they have to come at me mentally too!" Laughing now, I reached out and hugged her again.

"Oh Alice, I've missed you!"

**-xXx-**

Ten minutes later found us both sat down at the kitchen table.

"I just put Brandon down for a nap 20 minutes ago, so we'll have plenty of time to talk." She said, reaching for my hand across the table.

"It really is good to see you Bella."

"You too Alice."

"As happy as I am to see you though, I don't feel like your sudden appearance in Forks is purely for a reunion." I smiled at her.

"I don't think your powers of fortune telling have quite been affected by your pregnancy."

"This isn't any special ability. This is just one best friend looking at another. I can tell that something's wrong." So many thoughts flooded my mind that I wanted to tell Alice all about and before I knew it I was sobbing the whole story out to her.

"Wow." Was all she said when I was done, somewhere between the beginning and end of my story, she had led me to the couch.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before? I _knew_ something was up between you and Edward. I really should have come out to Seattle months ago but Jasper was certain you and Edward didn't need me interfering." I smiled as I pictured the calm Jasper trying to stop his pixie-sized wife jumping on a plane to Seattle. The humour I found in the image was quickly replaced by an overwhelming feeling of sadness as I thought about all the people I had left behind and all the days I had missed with them when I left Forks.

"And the police have no leads?" She asked. I shook my head.

"She's had eleven years to plan this, I think she would have made her plan foolproof." I sighed. Alice reached over and squeezed my hand.

"Well your home now Bella and all of us will do whatever it takes to keep you, Alyssa and Edward safe, I promise."

**-xXx-**

"I wish I could have stayed to see Brandon." I said as Alice walked me to my car.

"You'll see him tonight. We always go over to Esme and Carlisle's for dinner on Wednesday nights."

"Oh." Another tradition Edward and I had missed.

"Did I mention how good it is to have you back? I know it isn't good circumstances that bring you back but we've all missed you guys around here." Alice confessed as we reached my car.

"As we've missed yo-"I stopped, there on the driver's seat was a folded piece of paper.

"Oh God." I breathed.

"What is it?" Alice asked. Opening the car door, I pulled out the paper and showed it to her.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, her expression worried. I nodded.

"I think so." With trembling hands I opened the letter.

**You can run, but you can't hide. I'm coming for your little princess Bella, **_**soon**_**.**


End file.
